Jonestown Massacre - Cyanide Poisoning

[dust-in-the-wind]

I am assuming many of you youngsters on here don't know this story. I was a child in 1978 and remember the horror of seeing the piles of dead bodies on the TV. I was thinking about this because I was wondering how painful it is to die from cyanide and how easy is it to get?? Also I attached a link for people interested in this fascinating yet tragic historic event that were not aware of it. 900 people dead and sadly about 300 were children. "They drank the kool-aid". FYI...That is how this expression came about.

An apocalyptic cult, 900 dead: remembering the Jonestown massacre, 40 years on

More than 900 people, many of them children, died in a mass murder-suicide in 1978 by drinking cyanide-laced punch at the order of cult leader Jim Jones

www.theguardian.com

More pics of the dead bodies if you are morbid like me.

641 Jonestown Massacre Stock Photos, High-Res Pictures, and Images - Getty Images

Explore Authentic Jonestown Massacre Stock Photos & Images For Your Project Or Campaign. Less Searching, More Finding With Getty Images.

www.gettyimages.com

 

[Seneca65AD]

It's weird I remember that so vividly. I was 12 and still recall Dan Rather reporting from Jonestown. The benefits of having only 2 TV channels.

 

[dust-in-the-wind]

It's weird I remember that so vividly. I was 12 and still recall Dan Rather reporting from Jonestown. The benefits of having only 2 TV channels.

I was 9 years old. I remember it freaked me out. Amazing how many people can fall into a cult. I can see how it happened during that time with all the racial strife it was easy to recruit black people and the fear of a nuclear war with Russia scared everyone. Do you remember being told in school to hide under your desk if a bomb dropped?? How ridiculous lol

 

[uklad38]

That's crazy , I never even knew about that. Thanks for sharing

 

[Liebestod]

The only type of cyanide poisoning that is actually quick and relatively painless is hydrogen cyanide poisoning (gas). I wasn't alive when this occurred but in tenth grade a fellow student in my english class did a powerpoint presentation on the case. I was already aware of the case due to it's infamy and because I tend to research atrocities.

 

[unluckysadness]

OMG I didn't know this story and I'm nearly 44 (I live in EU and this tragedy seems to be quite unknown). It's awful ! How could they kill 300 kids ??!! Insane story. Thanks for sharing !

 

[cipher the first]

I am assuming many of you youngsters on here don't know this story. I was a child in 1978 and remember the horror of seeing the piles of dead bodies on the TV. I was thinking about this because I was wondering how painful it is to die from cyanide and how easy is it to get?? Also I attached a link for people interested in this fascinating yet tragic historic event that were not aware of it. 900 people dead and sadly about 300 were children. "They drank the kool-aid". FYI...That is how this expression came about.

An apocalyptic cult, 900 dead: remembering the Jonestown massacre, 40 years on

More than 900 people, many of them children, died in a mass murder-suicide in 1978 by drinking cyanide-laced punch at the order of cult leader Jim Jones

www.theguardian.com

More pics of the dead bodies if you are morbid like me.

641 Jonestown Massacre Stock Photos, High-Res Pictures, and Images - Getty Images

Explore Authentic Jonestown Massacre Stock Photos & Images For Your Project Or Campaign. Less Searching, More Finding With Getty Images.

www.gettyimages.com

WHATTTTTTTTTTTT three HUNDRED children 900 dead??? wtffff how did i not know abt this insanity

 

[dust-in-the-wind]

The only type of cyanide poisoning that is actually quick and relatively painless is hydrogen cyanide poisoning (gas). I wasn't alive when this occurred but in tenth grade a fellow student in my english class did a powerpoint presentation on the case. I was already aware of the case due to it's infamy and because I tend to research atrocities.

Thank you for the response. even worse to know they all suffered a horrible death. Those poor children and babies. Many didn't want to drink it and were forced. In some of the photos the bodies have their arms around each other just waiting to die.

 

[Lost Magic]

Jonestown was one of those great Utopian ideas that worked only until it didn't. Jim Jones destroyed a movement that really could have stood for something brilliant ... but you know, cult leaders.

 

[dust-in-the-wind]

OMG I didn't know this story and I'm nearly 44 (I live in EU and this tragedy seems to be quite unknown). It's awful ! How could they kill 300 kids ??!! Insane story. Thanks for sharing !

They made the parents poison their children first because it would make the parents more likely to go through with it after their child was dead. Many people did try to get away but were held at gunpoint to drink it

Jonestown was one of those great Utopian ideas that worked only until it didn't. Jim Jones destroyed a movement that really could have stood for something brilliant ... but you know, cult leaders.

Very True!

 

[Seneca65AD]

I was 9 years old. I remember it freaked me out. Amazing how many people can fall into a cult. I can see how it happened during that time with all the racial strife it was easy to recruit black people and the fear of a nuclear war with Russia scared everyone. Do you remember being told in school to hide under your desk if a bomb dropped?? How ridiculous lol

I don't actually recall ever doing any bomb drills. At best there were fire drills and we alll ran out to meet by the flag pole. Of course half the schools I attended had 6 grades in one room so we were probably not the most sophisticated institutions out there

 

[Mourning_Dove]

Tape recording of the event as it was happening. Jim Jones' words to his followers: "So my opinion is that we be kind to children and be kind to seniors and take the potion like they used to take in ancient Greece and step over quietly because we are not committing suicide. It's a revolutionary act."

 

[MyMomWasMyLife]

What a coincidence!! Just yesterday I looked this and the Heaven's Gate cult up to see what was used. The Heaven's Gate one was much more peaceful as they used Phenobarbital, vodka, and plastic bag method, plus they were all happy to do it because they wanted to transform into extraterrestrial beings and go to the Next Level of consciousness. I kept thinking about how it would be if we all met up in a big house and did that. All go peacefully. Just without the Hale-Bopp comet E.T. stuff lol.

 

[Oiled Sandwich]

I remember learning about this and Heaven's Gate when I was a teen. I will never forget Heaven Gate's insane combo of Bowl haircuts and Nike Decades.

 

[bb142342]

I think the idea that one would have to suffer for a long time is dismissed as a lie by certain people here.

After all, if you look at old cases from the war, the convicted individuals would bite down on a capsule in the courtroom and—according to accounts—collapse almost instantly.

But even so, it is virtually impossible, because you simply can't get hold of the stuff.